The Mielke ancestors are from Germany, like many of the wheat farmers in eastern Washington. They settled just outside of Harrington where the family built a church that his father was taking care of on the day he died.

Ron opens the clip talking about the income ceiling for financial aid if their daughter Roni Jo should attend Yale. Ron told me when riding along with him in the combine, that in years past they had a hired hand that was costing them $30,000 a year. They had to let him go and depend on the daughters for more help as they grew older.